Throughout 2010, ICP-ANACOM was focused on ensuring that its website provided visitors with the latest, updated information. There was also some reformulation of the website's thematic areas, which included the creation of some new areas, in great part as a result of legislative and regulatory changes. With a web presence since 1997, ICP-ANACOM's website (www.anacom.pthttps://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=2958) not only fulfils a statutory obligation, but also accomplishes ICP-ANACOM’s goal of bringing timely information on the sector to a range of different publics.
ICP-ANACOM's website is dynamic with a wide range of informative, interactive and transactional content and, since 2009, has been complemented by ICP-ANACOM's account on the social networking website Twitter - http://twitter.com/ICP_Anacomhttps://twitter.com/_ANACOM_ - where this Authority has 859 followers (as on 31 December 2010). This platform enhances the dissemination of information published daily on ICP-ANACOM's official website.
During 2010, the online services available on the website were revamped. This upgrade, which maintained the electronic forms with public access, introduced the concept of a reserved area for registered users to manage processes in areas such as ITED-ITUR, the amateur and amateur satellite service and permanent and temporary radio licensing of radiocommunications networks and stations. Users are now able to make use a range of new features, including:
- secure protocols to access personal data and reserved services;
- consultation of the status of processes;
- electronic submission of documents;
- account management alerts, including registration expiration warnings;
- simplified revalidation of registration;
- optional use of a virtual keyboard when entering personal access data.
These areas provide access to electronic services in a dynamic and secure manner. They also offer:
- free telephone support for the completion of forms;
- more support information to help users complete forms;
- enhanced usability and more alternatives for access from mobile devices (mobile phones and smart phones);
- option of sending comments and suggestions about the services available.
The "Virtual Assistant" that supports the "A ANACOM Responde" (ANACOM answers) brand is designed to answer queries in a totally interactively manner, put by any citizen on topics as diverse as roaming, portability and SMS-based value-added services. It will also monitor the questions put by users, so that, where necessary, new questions and answers can be developed on issues not yet covered by the virtual assistant's knowledge base.
ICP-ANACOM's website remains available in mobile and text (both bilingual) channels; the mobile channel is especially designed to be used by people accessing the Internet with smart phones or wireless equipment, whereas the channel text provides a guarantee that any user wishing to find information or perform a process using the online services forms has fully accessible access.
In the field of accessibility and usability, work conducted by ICP-ANACOM in 2010 to assess the quality of the website show that the graphic channel also offers a highly satisfactory user experience. This analysis was provided by the HCIM team - Human-Computer Interaction and Multimedia, an integral part of the LaSIGE Research Laboratory based at the Sciences Faculty of Universidade de Lisboa. The analysis concluded that ICP-ANACOM's website is adapted to the needs of users with disabilities, at a level which significantly exceeds the level of most websites covered by Resolution of the Council of Ministers no. 155/2007 of 2 October.
This process was later continued with a further evaluation to detect barriers of access to the website. This work involved people with disabilities such as blindness, amblyopia, and fine motor and severe upper limb disabilities; the results of this evaluation were also positive.
Over the course of 2010, the website received a total of over two million (2,279,034) visits. These visits resulted in 69 million views of informative and transactional content (68,313,405), with a daily average of 187,000 page visits.
ICP-ANACOM also remained engaged in its collaboration with the Portal do Cidadão (Citizens' Website) and the Portal da Empresa (Companies’ Website), which provide an additional avenue for disseminating information and expanding the universe of citizens and businesses with access to the national regulator of the communications sector. By the end of 2010, the Portal do Cidadão included twelve services provided by ICP-ANACOM, while the Portal da Empresa contained thirty-five services associated with this Authority.
